Crowd Threat raises £1M to transform global threat intelligence with AI-powered crowdsourcing

A former British Army intelligence operator is betting that the next major security threat could be spotted first by someone living just miles from where it happens, rather than an analyst sitting thousands of miles away. His startup, Crowd Threat, has raised £1 million to build a global intelligence network that combines local reporting with AI-assisted verification.

Founded by Michael McCabe, the Newcastle-based tech startup is taking a different approach to a market traditionally dominated by intelligence analysts monitoring news reports, social media, and other information feeds from remote offices.

Instead of relying solely on those sources, Crowd Threat pays local contributors, many with backgrounds in security and intelligence, to report incidents in their communities. These reports cover armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, organized crime, civil unrest, and other security threats that could affect governments, businesses, and international operations.

The investment comes from the North East Accelerate Fund, managed by Mercia Ventures, and NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, managed by PXN Ventures under the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

The funding will help Crowd Threat expand its geographic reach, develop its technology, and hire seven employees.

From military intelligence in Iraq to a global crowdsourced security network

McCabe’s idea grew out of more than two decades working in military and private-sector intelligence, including assignments in Iraq.

During his time there, he saw local security professionals exchange information that often provided a clearer picture of developing threats than conventional reporting channels.

“While working in Iraq, the security professionals would share information in an online forum. If an explosive device went off in the morning, by the end of the day we would know all the background. I came away thinking, why can’t we tap into local networks around the world?”

That experience eventually became the foundation for Crowd Threat.

McCabe previously founded Intelligence Fusion, a software-enabled intelligence company Sigma7 acquired in 2022. He launched Crowd Threat in 2025 and worked with Newcastle software developer Wubbleyou to build the platform, which went live in June 2026.

The startup now has more than 200 contributors based in 17 countries across six continents. Its long-term ambition is to grow that network to 10,000 people, with particular attention to Africa, South America, and Asia.

Each contributor is paid for reporting incidents. Submissions receive an initial rating based on the contributor’s trust level before undergoing verification supported by AI and human reviewers.

The approach is meant to capture information closer to its source, potentially identifying incidents that foreign analysts or conventional monitoring systems might overlook.

“Technology now allows us to crowdsource threats on a global scale. Using local people who understand the language and culture means we can report incidents more quickly and identify threats Western analysts may miss,” McCabe said.

The model arrives at a time when geopolitical tensions, armed conflicts, and disruptions to international supply chains are making security intelligence increasingly relevant to private companies.

Businesses operating across borders need to monitor risks that can affect employees, facilities, transportation routes, and suppliers. Crowd Threat is positioning its network as another source of information for those decisions.

The company is developing a second product to identify community tensions that could signal potential riots or outbreaks of violence.

For investors, the opportunity lies in making intelligence gathering less dependent on centralized teams.

“Demand for threat intelligence is growing. Crowd Threat’s innovative crowdsourced model offers an alternative approach to intelligence gathering, designed to improve the speed and quality of intelligence. This funding will enable Michael and the team to expand the platform’s geographical reach and accelerate customer acquisition,” said Owen Conquest of Mercia Ventures.

The bigger test for Crowd Threat will be whether its model can maintain reliable reporting across thousands of contributors and dozens of countries. AI can assist with verification, but the accuracy of information collected from people on the ground remains central to the service.

For McCabe, the ambition is straightforward: build an intelligence network that spots risks earlier by listening to people already on the ground.